How To Ride The Tube

Welcome to the Underground. Sounds so sinister, but it's actually just the tube, train, trax, six rail, whatever. Marble Arch is the one closest to my house. It's usually pretty busy because it's on Oxford Street which is a very busy shopping district. As with many of the stations in London you walk in and down a flight of stairs.

When I first went in to buy my Oyster Card, or rail card, I went to one of these machines. They must work because people use them all the time, as you can see from the picture. I, however, had no success with them. I tried using both of my cards and it wouldn't take them. I think that it might be for filling up your Oyster once you already have it. I'm just not sure.

I should have just gone here. It was quick and easy and my credit card worked here. They give you the card in a little plastic cover. You can put 20, 40, 60 pound plus on it, or you can buy a season pass, which is a month three months, etc. The month pass is 112 pounds.There are also tube maps just off to the side of the information desk. If you take the tube you'll need to get one of these.

Then you tap on and off. Usually most of them are closed, so make sure you look for the little green arrow that indicates you can walk through. Just tap your oyster card on the yellow pad, the gate will swing open and you can walk through. It's really simple.

When you get down to the trains it'll have a list of stops going north, east, south, or west. Just make sure you are heading toward the stop you want.

Then you ride the rail to where ever you want to go. These are my roommates. From left to right: Brooke, David, Kyle, and Maddie. Brooke usually poses for pictures. I don't know what she was doing here. It was really cute though.